tic
glands.' (Senn). This is a very significant array of colloid
matter; and it has been repeatedly affirmed by the highest
authorities that alcohol is poisonous to the colloid element.

"Now, among the most important of the phagocytes just enumerated
are the leucocytes. They embrace and enfold the pathogenic germs
with which they come in contact by what is known as an ameboid
force. They enclose, disintegrate and absorb the enemy. It is
well known that the moment the leucocytes are submitted to an
alcoholic solution, their ameboid movements cease, and their
function is arrested. It is plain that their phagocytocic power
is immediately destroyed. It is possible, also, that the fixed
tissue-cells are likewise impaired or killed by alcoholic
imbibition. How deleterious, and even deadly, must the internal
administration of alcoholic liquors then be in the treatment of
diphtheria, and of other diseases having a germinal origin? It
therefore follows, to my mind, that all the diseases which are
the result of germinal infection, are most badly treated when
alcohol is used in their therapy.

"With extreme brevity I advert to another view in the field. It
is that of adynamic disease. It has been conclusively proven
that alcohol decreases the muscular power. It decreases (from
the minimum dose to the maximum) the power of the heart as well
as that of all other muscles. I say this has been absolutely
demonstrated by Richardson and others. In death from adynamia it
is through failure of muscle, that is, of the heart, of the
scaleni and intercostals, of the diaphragm, and of the laryngeal
muscles, et cetera. All of the muscles may gradually fail,
become wearied unto death. How pernicious then must alcohol be
in adding its influence to bring about the tragic end!

"It is my belief that it is in diphtheria that the most dire
results are to be observed. In that disease the vast majority of
cases die by asthenia, or else by sudden failure of the heart.
To what is this sudden cardiac paralysis due? The elucidation is
as follows. In the grave cases there is almost invariably a
subnormal temperature, together with great muscular
prostration. Also it is a physiological fact that a decrease of
the temperature slows nervous conduction. As the system is made
colder, the nervous force flows